Tipping is not a place in China

[ToNzOfPHuN]

Can anyone give me the general info on how gratuity works over here? My cousin told me that most places already charge for service in the initial price. I don't know if that's true or not. Enlighten me!

Thanks in advance.

[ReverendJay]

from what I have observed/heard the locals don't tend to tip, at least in local places. In western bars/restaurants it seems that a modest tip is offered.

[Sazzy]

Yeah, most places add 10% service charge to their bill

[PDLM]

Taxi drivers almost always round up to the next dollar (or 50 cents). Nothing more is required.

Restaurants almost always add 10%. Nothing more is required. I might occasionally add more if the service has been exceptional.

Bars - some bars add 10% and then have snotty barmen who whip change away quite quickly if you don't claim it. I tend to avoid such places (the Peak Cafe springs to mind). There's no way I am paying a barman HK$5-6 each time he opens a bottle. Plenty of places charge reasonable prices and don't then try to gouge you for more.

In the above, any service at table makes it a "restaurant" in my mind, in which case I'll normally leave a few bucks (by which I mean between HK$5 and HK$20 or so, depending on how big the bill is) when I get the bill if the service has been friendly and they haven't already added 10%. By "bar" I mean actually sitting at a bar.

Er, hotels, I guess you might tip a guy who brings heavy bags to your room if you are too lazy to do it yourself. I'd guess HK$10 per bag or so.

[saltwater]

Bars - some bars add 10% and then have snotty barmen who whip change away quite quickly if you don't claim it. I tend to avoid such places (the Peak Cafe springs to mind). There's no way I am paying a barman HK$5-6 each time he opens a bottle.

Agree that tipping for a guy to open your beer doesn't make a lot of sense, but if you're into the harder stuff and give a modest tip the first time you buy, you'll often find they suddenly become very generous when they pour your next one

[mrcheese321]

Agree that tipping for a guy to open your beer doesn't make a lot of sense, but if you're into the harder stuff and give a modest tip the first time you buy, you'll often find they suddenly become very generous when they pour your next one

That is the one thing that I really like about Asia in general. Tips aren't really required. At bars in Texas we usually have to tip 5-10 USD a round (that would be about 4-6 drinks).

And in restaurants, between tax and tips, you end up paying about 1.25 what the menu price of your meal is.

C

[trpfeifer]

If you add to the 10%, try to strategically give it to the waiter/waitress as I have been told that otherwise it usually goes to the "establishment" - usually no reason to give the restaurant more money.

I might occasionally add more if the service has been exceptional.

[KnowItAll]

If I'm going to spend more than a couple of hours in a bar, I'll tip semi decently on the first round and then when I'm leaving, IF I think I'm going to go back. Works like a charm.

Luckily my fav place (Schnubarrts) does not add the 10% and I usually end up rounding up generously .. been doing that for well over 12-13 years now.

[vmlinuz]

I would normally give between 10% and 15%, rounded up - so, say, for $50 I might give $55 but for $70 I'd probably give $80 - except that I get annoyed when it's added onto the bill, so I normally just stick to the fixed 10% in that case.

The cafe across the road from my building charges $44 for my regular (a big plate of veg'n'noodles), so I just give them $50 - for the few $ difference, they like me, remember me, and remember my regular order, which is useful, since the staff have very little English between them and it makes ordering much easier

[ToNzOfPHuN]

I'm guessing I would know if they have already added gratuity by looking at the receipt? Thanks again for all the tips